Author Description

GTPases are molecular switches that are used to control biochemical pathways. This book describes the properties and cellular roles of all the major families of GTPases. All cells use GTPases to regulate the delivery of amino acids to the ribosome during protein synthesis, but eukaryotes, with their complex and compartmentalized environment, have exploited the versatility of GTPases to a much greater extent. In particular, GTPases play a central role in regulating signal transduction pathways activated by extracellular signals and in regulating the trafficking of proteins beetween different organelles. It is not surprising, therefore, that GTPases have become a center of attention for those studying the control of proliferation, differentiation, cell polarity, cell movement, and vesicle and protein trafficking. This book provides a complete guide to this area and should be essential reading for cell and molecular biologists, biochemists and geneticists interested in these contemporary problems.